This invention relates generally to wire or cable severing, as well as stripping sheathing from severed wire sections; and more particularly, it concerns unusual advantages, method and apparatus to effect severing of a wire or cable into two sections, and stripping of sheathing off ends of both sections, with minimal motions of severing and stripping elements and in minimum time.
There is continual need for equipment capable of severing wire or cable into sections, and also capable of rapidly and efficiently stripping sheathing off ends of those sections. It is desirable that these functions be carried out as a wire or cable travels along generally the same axis, i.e., progresses forwardly, and that multiple wire and cable sections of selected length be produced, each having its opposite ends stripped of sheathing, to expose bare metal core wire at each end. Further, it is desirable that simple, radial and axial stripping adjustments be achieved upon multiple wire sections.
It is a major object of the invention to provide apparatus and method meeting the above need. The word xe2x80x9cwirexe2x80x9d will be used to include cable within its scope, and vice versa.
Basically, the apparatus of the invention comprises improved blade structures usable in apparatus for processing wire to cut the wire into sections and to expose section wire ends, the wire having an inner core and sheathing about that core, the apparatus including means for displacing the wire axially endwise; in this environment the invention comprises the combination:
a) multiple blade structures, including at least two of the structures that move adjacent one another as the two structure move relatively oppositely toward and away from the axis in directions generally normal to the axis,
b) each of the two structures having first and second cutting edges,
c) the cutting edges configured such that, when the two the structures are moved relatively longitudinally in a primary mode, two of the cutting edges cut through the wire, and when the two structures are moved relatively longitudinally in a second mode, the remaining two of the cutting edges cut into the wire sheathing to enable stripping of the sheathing of the wire.
In this regard, the cutting edges of each blade structure typically may face one another in longitudinally spaced relation and be located at opposite sides of the wire axis, both blade structures being displaced longitudinally, for example to sever the wire and also to strip sheathing from the wire.
It is another object to provide programmable means associated with the apparatus to provide programmable strip depth of the sheathing.
An additional object is to provide said two structures to define first shoulders elongated longitudinally and forming a space between which the other of the two structures extends during relative movement; and also to provide second shoulders also elongated longitudinally and extending in proximity with said first shoulders during said relative movement.
Yet another object is to provide blade structures that employ blade plates having wire cutting edges, the blade plates extending in close, parallel, overlapping relation during their relative movement. Typically, the cutting edges on two of the overlapping plates include V-shaped edge portions that overlap when the blade plates are moved in said secondary mode during their relative movement.
A further object is to provide support means for the blade structures for holding the blade structures attached in fixed positions on the support means, the blade structures having shoulders engageable with the support means. Retainers may be associated with the support means for holding the blade structures attached in fixed positions on the support means, and to allow release of the blade structures from the support means, enabling their selective replacement.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: